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+---- Thread: Pre-Draft Hype - João Mendes (/showthread.php?tid=9122)
Pre-Draft Hype - João Mendes - jason97 - 2026-03-23
Stockholm, Sweden
With the SSL draft now less than a week away, the twelve organizations and their scouts are all currently gathering together to discuss their draft boards and who they want to select. Mendes is eagerly waiting for his name to be called and to see which team he will start his SSL career with. As this will likely be one of the last chances Mendes will get to prove his worth before the draft, we take a deeper look at the qualities that make Mendes one of the top prospects in this upcoming draft.
On the pitch, Mendes is your prototypical box-to-box midfielder. Someone who likes to control the tempo of the game but is also a pitbull defensively. One of his biggest strengths currently is his speed and acceleration. He never stops running and is always getting stuck into every battle. Even with his small stature, Mendes is quite good in the air. With Mendes playing in different formations and positions in the academy, he has made teams aware that he will change position if needed to accommodate their needs.
Off the pitch, Mendes is a proven leader and one of the best locker room presences any organization can add. He's active and vocal in the locker room and always improving and training on his own time. He's someone who is selfless and will always put the team ahead of anything else. Mendes is always eager to learn and soaks up all the information provided by the coaches and veterans. He's someone his teammates can always count on.
Mendes can't wait to embark on this new journey. He's had some fantastic conversations with many scouts and teams. He's done all he can so far to give himself the best chance of getting drafted. With a fantastic crop of great prospects, Mendes wants to wish the entire draft class the best of luck, and he can't wait to face off with them in the minors.
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